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Incident on The Smiler 02/06/2015

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How many times has Smiler stalled in the two years of operating/testing? I dare to say even Saw has stalled more times in the same timeframe...

Spark said:
Should of been a B&M, there cars always make it round,
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*looks cautiously at Diamondback*
 
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Latest on the Beeb is the 4 teenagers on the front row have serious leg injuries (crushed... nasty), but everyone is conscious at the moment.
 
This is absolutely horrific. The accident looks nasty and one of the people in the front looks in a bad way. With all of the problems the ride has, I never expected something like this to happen :(

Thoughts go out to everyone who's been affected.
 
Well at least everyone seems to be conscious. I dread to think what would have been going through their minds seeing that train sat on the track - you're pinned in and there's nothing at all you can do.

:)
 
> I didn't even know collisions like this were possible on a modern ride.

They don't happen that often, but as computers to get glitches and bugs every now and then, collisions can happen occasionally

> Should of been a B&M, there cars always make it round,

latest
 
GaryH said:
Just, it concerns me that if eye witness reports are true, lots of people ran to warn staff at the entrance that a car had stalled, but they didnt phone it through..... whether thats true or not I dont know, but a few people have said it, so there must be an element of truth, unless, it was too late and the car had already cleared the lift hill and was thus unable to be stopped after....

Sad sad day
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Weren't there similar reports when there was the incident of the bolts hitting people on the vertical lift?

I think I remember reading back then people were shouting at staff and they didn't do anything, so wouldn't surprise me with this either.

Although reports from people on park confirm that the trains made a very loud noise when crashing. Doubt the staff could ignore that easily...
 
I've always wondered, if a member of the public (IE: us) spotted something, and shouted at a host "E-STOP, NOW!" and did the X sign, would they listen to us?
 
Some of the people who are claiming for the ride to be closed down because of technical glitches earlier in the day, no idea some folk
 
An update from the West Midlands Ambulance Service:

"There are 16 patients on board The Smiler requiring triage, four of which have reported serious injuries."

:)
 
"Should have been a B&M" both Diamondback and Raptor have stalled.

One noticeable saving grace - if there is one - the train it hit was empty. It could have been a lot worse had that front train been full of guests. A lot worse.

It's real shame this has happened and whilst people will be looking for answers in the 'blame game' we just have to wait and hope there are no major injuries. This issue is not rare (PMBO & Big Dipper) and needs to be seriously looked into, but like I said, it's not clear cut what happened.

It's always a very sad day when an accident like this happens and I feel for Alton as we all know just how rigorous they are with Health & Safety.
 
I'm guessing the whole area is closed off, as Oblivion is marked as closed on ridetimes.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
Should have been a B&M, their cars always make it round,

latest
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Indeed he is, it's called defence-in-depth. The blocking system should be a last resort to prevent a collision like this, stalling shouldn't be a regular feature.

I'll always remember being told the story of John Wardley talking to Bolliger and Mabillard and querying how riders would be rescued should Nemesis stall. B&M's response: "Our coasters don't stall", and that was the end of it. Of course, Diamondback and Raptor have stalled since, but still, it was pretty ballsy to say.
 
Would staff have had enough time to organise an E-stop is my question in regards to all this shouting stuff...

Guests would have to notice the valley, then find either the person on front gate, or the shop... Then they'd have to ring up the ride op and try and get them to stop...

Assuming the second train was already en-route as the valley occured, the time frame for all that to happen would have been minimal...
 
1) The ride shouldn't have allowed another train to be on the same block, this is surely the most basic safety feature a coaster could have, if not, what are sensors good for!

2) That was the first car of people being sent round after re-opening, hindsight is a wonderful thing but wouldn't you have waited for the empty car (known for being very easy to stall, hence the dummies earlier in the season) to return to the station?

3) Does no one check cameras!

Seems completely avoidable. Such a shame.
 
Update from West Midlands Ambulance Service

Tuesday 2nd June 2015 – 4.20pm – Claire Brown.

Four teenagers have been seriously injured in a collision on a ride at Alton Towers Resort in Staffordshire this afternoon (Tuesday).

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called at 2.09pm to a report that a carriage of “The Smiler” had collided with a stationary unoccupied carriage. Community first responders based at the theme park were first on scene. Four ambulances, three Midlands Air Ambulances from Strensham, Cosford and Tatenhill, the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance, a MERIT trauma doctor and three BASICS doctors, paramedics from the Trusts Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and several senior paramedic managers are currently in attendance.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “Of the 16 occupants on board the ride, two teenage boys and two teenage girls, have sustained serious leg injuries.

“A platform has been build up in order for emergency services to reach the occupants on the ride who are approximately 25 feet up in the air at an angle of about 45 degrees.

“Our HART paramedics, doctors, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Alton Towers’ rope rescue staff are working at height to carefully release and treat the four seriously injured teenagers. The 12 other occupants on the ride are said to have suffered minor injuries and it’s hoped that they will be discharged from the scene.

“Once released from the ride, all four seriously injured teenagers will be airlifted to major trauma centres at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire and Royal Stoke University Hospital for further emergency treatment.”

More details will follow in due course.
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